Acts 2 - Outpouring (notes)

Acts 2 - Outpouring

The Holy Spirit

• Is the foundation of the church and the spreading of the Good News in the first century.
• Is the key in salvation and the empowerment and transformation of the believer.
• Is poured out on the Day of Pentecost and was the power behind all the signs and wonders, great harvest and transformation of the early believers.

People

• Were set free from demons and communities turned upside down as a result of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
• Were amazed at the power of God in the lives of those who were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
• Were constantly being saved as a result of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Today is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost was one of the seven feasts of the nation of Israel. Pentecost means 50. Pentecost after Passover. Pentecost was celebrated to remember when Moses was given the law on Mount Sinai while Israel was in the wilderness.

Pentecost

• Is the most important day in the history of the church.
• Is the day the church is born.
• Is the day we remember the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Man has always tried to find the secret to an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. What I believe about outpourings is that they are always on God’s terms and in God’s time. Unity is important, prayer is critical, repentance is highly valued in Heaven but the bottom line is that it is always a God thing. The person of the Holy Spirit is always the key to every outpouring. Heaven came down and scattered the forces of evil and filled men and women with a power that was beyond this world.

The Response

• People from all over the empire were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost.
• There was confusion in the people who were there because people were speaking in their own language though the speakers were Galileans (the hicks of the land).
• The people marveled and were amazed because of this.
• They were perplexed, saying what could this mean?

This Was An Amazing Manifestation:

1. It was a miracle to hear people speak their dialect.
2. Peter and the eleven stand up explains the meaning of the events. They aren’t drunk it’s only 9 AM.
3. Peter proceeds to give the prophetic explanation.

The Prophetic Revelation:

• He mentions the Old Testament prophet Joel’s prophecy about a world wide outpouring of the Holy Spirit before the end of the age. What happened at Pentecost was only the beginning.
• The last days is the church age and a period of time before the tribulation.

The Prophecy:

• God will pour out His Spirit upon all mankind right before the second coming of Jesus Christ.
• Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Young men see visions and old men dream. This talks about a worldwide prophetic movement right before Jesus returns.
• Through visions and dreams the people at this time will speak with an authoritative voice to that generation.
• Verses 19-21 talk about the outpouring of God’s wrath for those who rejected Jesus Christ.

There Are Two Outpourings

• The outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the outpouring of God’s wrath on those who reject the person and work of the Spirit of God.
• Jesus said that the only sin that was unforgivable was blaspheming the Holy Spirit or attributing the work of the Spirit to the devil.

Peter Explains The Gospel

1. Jesus was proved He was the Messiah by His miracles and signs and wonders.
2. Jesus is crucified and put to death but God raised Him from the dead because death could not hold Him once He fulfilled all the requirements to redeem us.
3. Jesus had to suffer, die and rise before He could outpour His Spirit.